Protective packet



" 19, 1935 L c. R. SUTHERLAND 2,041,577

PROTECTIVE PACKET Filed Deo. 22, 195o 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 19,1936 w UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE PROTECTIVE PACKET Clarence R.Sutherland, Dayton, Ohio Application December 22, 1930, Serial No.504,063

9 Claims. (Cl. 177-314) This invention consists of a protective deviceWith the above primary and other incidental against robbery which willautomatically disobjects in view as will more fully and clearly apchargetear gas or other repellant substance upon pear in the specification,the invention consists disturbance by the robber. of the features ofconstruction, the parts and Many gas discharge devices for protectivepurcombinations thereof and the mode of operation,

poses are available, such as gas bombs to be or other equivalents, ashereinafter described and` thrown, gas discharge devices located inwalls or set forth in the claims. the ceiling of a room or elsewhere tobe dis- Referring to the accompanying drawings charged by a button orswitch at a distant point, wherein is shown the preferred but obviouslynot 10 devices mounted in watchmens night sticks and necessarily theonly form of embodiment of the 10 even gas discharge devices disguisedas fountain invention, Fig. l is a perspective view of a dummy pens orthe like. Such devices, however, depend packet of currency within whichare concealed for operation upon action by the person being two gasdischarge bombs or shells with electrical `robbed or by someone in thevicinity other than means for controlling their discharge upon distherobber himself. Ordinarily the person disturbance of the packet. Fig. 2is a similar perl5 charging the gas bomb or other gas discharge spectiveview wherein a portion of the packet has device and the persons beingrobbed are more been removed to disclose the-gas discharge shellsseriously aected by the gaseous discharge than and their control means.Fig. 3 isa diagrammatic is the robber for whom the discharge was in-View of the electrical control circuit and gravity tended. operatedmercury switch. Fig. 4 is a detail view 20 'Ihe present device isautomatic in its action of a mechanically operated discharge device. andmay be deposited in a vault or safe or in Fig. 5 is a perspective Viewof a jewelry display a desk where in the event of an attempted robtraywithin which the protective gas shells or bery it will operate todisable the robber even bombs and the control circuit may be concealed.

though he may not have been discovered.Y In a Like parts are indicatedby similar characters 25 l simple and convenient form the present deviceof reference throughout the several views.

comprises a dummy packet simulating a pack- Referring to the drawings, Iindicates a dummy age of currency within which is concealed the packetsimulating a package of currency which bomb or other gas dischargedevice together with may be placed upon the cashiers desk or in thegravity or disturbance operated means for distellers cage with othercurrency being used in 30` charging the gas upon disturbance or tiltingtransaction of the days business. This packet movement of the packet aswould occur when a comprises a series of sheets or leaves having sizerobber picks the packet up. identical with that of paper currency. These'Ihe object of the invention is to afford a proleaves are stacked oneupon the other and the tectve device against robbery which will not onlycentral portions of the leaves are removed to pro- 35 be cheapened inconstruction but will be efficient vide a cavity within the packetwithin which the in operation, inexpensive, Which will be portable gasshells and operating means are concealed. and which may be placedinacash drawer, on the In the present instance such apparatus isconcounter or within the tellers cage during the day tained within avery light sheet metal housing 2,

40 and be deposited in a vault or safe at night, and embedded andenclosed within the stack of sheets 40 which upon disturbance willautomatically disor leaves I, one end of the housing or enclosure 2charge a repellent gas or other substance, and being cut away to providefor the free escape of which will not easily get out of order. thedischarged gas. Located within the case or A further object of theinvention is to provide housing 2 are shown two gas shells 3 3 held arobbery protective device which will be operin spring clips 4 secured tothe bottom of the case 45 ated orA setl in action by the robber himselfand or housing 2. These gas loaded shells 3 3 illushence will not bedependent upon discovery of trated, are commercial gas shells identicalwith the robbery or upon action of the persons being standard shot gunshells. Such gas loaded shot robbed. gun shells are now readilyavailable upon the A further object of the invention is to providemarket. In the present instance, however, these 50 such device ofcompact form and of light weight shells 3 are provided with electricallyoperated which may be readily and easily concealed within ignition ordischarge means in lieu of the usual a dummy packet simulating a packageof curpercussion cap. Also located within the case or rency, or within ajewelry display tray or other housing 2 and hence concealed with thepacket easily movable article. is a dry cell battery 5 and a gravityoperated elec- 55` tric control switch. In the present instance thiscontrol switch is shown as comprising a substantially V shaped tube Bdisposed in substantial perpendicular position and containing a body ofmercury 1 normally positioned at the bend of the tube. This body ofmercury is free to flow into either of the upturned arms of the benttube B when the packet is tilted in either direction. Electric terminals8 extend within the arms of the tube 6 and are electricallyinterconnected by the body of mercury 'I when it flows into such armsupon tilting the packet. These terminals 8 are electrically connectedwith the battery 5 and with the ignition devices of the explosive gasshells 3-3 as illustrated in the diagrammatic view Fig. 3. A switch 9 ispreferably though not necessarily included in the circuit wherebythecircuit may be opened and the device rendered safe for handling. Thesame switch is utilized to connect a signalA lamp IIl in a shunt circuitI I with the batltery and through the terminals of the mercury switch'sothat the device vmay be safely tested from time to time to ascertain thecondition of the battery. n

The explosive gas shel1`3 and the battery andV control switch with theelectrical connection are concealed within the packet by vone or moreoverlying sheets, the top sheet of winch is preferably a genuine pieceof paper currency of any desired denomination. To further disguise thepacket andincrease its resemblance to a package of genuine currency, theusual strap I3 bearing indicia commonly employed by banks and nancialinstitutions is employed about the dummy packet.

The dummy packet thus prepared with the swtch49 adjusted to connect theelectrical circuit with the ignition devices of the gas shell 3 K islaid with the packages of genuine currency 'Y on the cashiers desk orinside the tellers cage or it may be placed in the cash drawer or in thesafe. Such packet would ordinarily be placed in a position mostconvenient to the robber in the g event of an attempted robbery. f Ingrabbing the cuit and discharge the gas shells 3. 5o

packet from the desk or from -thegtellers cage, any decided movement ofthe packet causes the mercury to flow into one arm or the other of theswitch tube 6 and thereby close the electric cir- The robber having thepackage in his hands at such time receives the full eifect of thedischarged gas. Y The V type mercury switch is such that the packetmaybe slidingly moved aboutrupon the desk or A, counter and a cashdrawer may be pushed to and 55` fro without disturbing the mercury bodyor causing it to flow into the arms and thereby discharge the gas bombsor shells. The packet may even be tilted to a limited extent in adirection transversely to the planerof the V shaped tube withouteffecting the discharge of the shell, but any tilting movement such aswould occur by the removal of the packet from the desk or counter by arobber and its placement in a pocket or in a Satchel would cause aninstant gaseous discharge.

While primarily designed for protection of nancial institutions and forthe protection of the cashier rof stores, factories or mercantileestablishments and hence preferably embodied in the dummy simulating apackage of currency, the invention is not limited to such embodiment. InFig. V5 there is shown a display tray for jewelry or the like in whichVVthe gas shells 3-3 together with the energizing battery Sand switch, maybe enclosed and concealed. It is not infrequent that jewelry and diamondrobberies are attempted by pseudo customers who may grab a tray of gemsor jewelry being displayed and make away with it. By enclosing andconcealing within such tray Iii, as illustrated in Fig. 5, one or moregas bombs or shells 3 with the necessary discharge system, such type ofrobbery can be eifectually prevented and the robber be made to gashimself.

While the mercury type of switch is to be preferred, whether it be ofthe particular V type as illustrated or of other form, mechanicallyoperated ignition devices may be employed in lieu thereo-f. In Fig. 4there is shown a gas bomb or shell 3 provided with the usual percussiontype of ignitor and a spring actuated iiring pin I5 which is normallyheld retracted against the tension of its actuating spring I6 by apivoted detent I'I. This detent I1 is held in operative position by areciprocatory slide element I 8. A pendulum or Yvibratory weighted armI9 extends in proximate relation with the reciprocatory member I8 andwhen moved in one'direction is adapted to engage an arm 20 upon thereciprocatory slide I8 to withdraw such slide out of the path of the de`tent I1. Upon movement of the weighted arm in the opposite direction,such arm has engagement with a lever 2|, which in turn engages a secondarm or projection 22 upon the reciprocatory slide to shift such slide I8out of engagement with the detent II and thereby release the firing pin.Thus the firing pin is released by the movement of the pendulum or thevibratory weighted arm in eitherA direction. This mechanicalconstruction has been shown merely for illustrative purposes and as anindication that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specificmercury control switch in an electrical circuit controlling the gasshells or bombs. The safety switch 9 is easily accessible by removing orturning up thetopmost leaves of the packet. While tear gas orchloracetophenone is the preferred material for loading the shells orbombs and to be discharged by disturbance of the packet, other repellantgaseous or liquid materialmay be employed in lieu thereof.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modication in its form, proportions, detailconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect and the invention is there-l fore claimed in any of itsforms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a robbery protective device, a dummy packet simulating a packageof currency, a gas discharge device concealed within the package andautomatically operated discharge means for the gas device also concealedWithin the package and energized by tilting movement of the packet.

2. In a robbery protective device, a dummy packet simulating a packet ofcurrency, an electrically operated gas discharge means concealed 7 5Jwithin the package, an electrical circuit including a source ofelectrical energy and a gravity operated electric switch in said circuitfor discharging the gas discharge means upon tilting motion of thepacket.`

3. In a robbery protective device, a dummy packet simulating a packageof currency, an electrically operated gas discharge device concealedwithin the packet, an electrical circuit therefor including a source ofelectrical energy, and a mercury switch also concealed in said packetoperating to close the circuit and discharge the gas device said switchbeing more susceptible to movement of the packet in one direction thanin another direction.

4. In a robbery protective device, the combination with a movable decoypacket, and an electrically operated gas discharge device concealedtherein, of a normally upright substantially V shaped tube alsoconcealed in said packet, a body of mercury therein normally positionedin the bend of the tube, and an electric circuit including a source ofelectrical energy and having electrical terminals in the arms of thetube closed by the mercury upon movement into an arm of said tube toeiect the discharge of the gas device.

5. In a protective device of the character described, a movable decoypacket, a gas discharge device concealed therein and a directionaldisturbance operated control means including a source of energy for saidgas discharge device more susceptible to movement of the packet in onedirection than in a transverse direction.

6. The combination with a decoy packet and an electrically operated gasdischarge device therein, of an electric circuit including a source ofenergy and a directional disturbance operated electric switchcontrolling said gas discharge device said switch including a mobilebody confined to a single plane of movement and highly susceptible tomovement of the packet in approximately the plane of movement of themobile body, and electric terminals closed by the movement of said body,said body being less susceptible toi movement in a directiontransversely to its plane of operation.

7. The combination with a decoy simulating a valuable package, a gasdischarge device concealed therein, and energizing means includinggravity controlled means for setting in operation the gas dischargemeans upon tilting movement of the packet.

8. In a protective device of the character described, a movable decoypacket, an electrically operated repellent gas discharge deviceconcealed therein, an electrical circuit therefor including a source ofelectrical energy, and a mercury operated switch therein including avessel having contacts mounted above the level of the mercury, saidmercury closing the circuit when the packet is moved to cause themercury to close the contacts.

9. In a protective device of the character described, a movable decoypacket, an electrically operated repellentl gas discharge deviceconcealed therein, an electrical circuit therefor including a source ofelectrical energy and a mercury operated switch including a V-tubehaving contacts in the ends of the legs thereof and mercury in the bendof the tube below the contacts, said mercury closing the circuit whenthe packet is moved to cause the mercury to flow into either leg toclose the contacts therein.

CLARENCE R. SUTHERLAND.

